Lift-cutting and heel-building apparatus.



PATBNTED MAY 19, 1903,

D. M BEGKf LIFT CUTTING AND. HEEL BUILDING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 2, 1902.

a s'HBETssHEnT 1.

N0 MODEL.

ln llmm INVENTOR 'jenzls- M36070 WIN/M A TTOHNE Ys.

PS c PHOTOJ WHO/WASHINGTON, n rv PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

D. M. BECK. LIFT CUTTING AND HEEL BUILDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

&@ WITNESSES. yQM-J W INVENTOR 26227.13 J. Baez:

A TTORN E Y8.

No. 728,658. PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

D. M. BECK. LIFT CUTTING AND HEEL BUILDING APPARATUS.-

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1902. 7

1:0 MODEL. a SHEETS-SHEET a.

WITNESSES.

/{VVEN7 0/'7 By W ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

ATENT QFFICE.

DENIS M. BECK,'OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N 0. 728,658, dated May 19, 1903. Application filed JuIy Z, 1902. Serial No. 114,037. tNo model-'2 To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, DENIS M. BECK, a citizen of the United States,'residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,

have made certain new and useful Improve singly and applies glue or some other cement so they duly adhere in the completed heel. In the use of my apparatus the lifts are cut out and built up into a heel at one operation, and this is attended with the additional advantage thatthere is no danger of producing a faulty or defective heel by a failure to apply the glue. The lifts are cut out of a piece of leather to which glue has been first applied.

The lifts are so cut aud arranged in the die and are so secured together while so retained therein that it is impossible that the heel finally produced shall be other than perfect In other words, the lifts all assume in form. the same proper position relative to the die and to each other as they are successively Thus the cn1-' mon defect of imperfect heels-that is to say, heels which are irregular in form-'and also cutand received into the die.

the frequent occurrence of cracks in the heels due to imperfect gluing are avoided.

In carrying out my invention I employ a series of cutting dies having, however; the

same form and construction and differing, For such dies I provide a de-' only in size. tachable head or anvil, u-pon'which blowsare delivered by a mallet for the purpose of forcing the die into and through the leather. In connection with such die-head I employ an attachment which is adapted to perform two important functionsnamely, to drive a nail through the several lifts held in the die and then to eject the lifts from the die. Such attachment is adapted to slide vertically upon and be guided by the die-head. The latter is provided with awls or piercingpoints for successively taking up the lifts cut by the die, to which the head is attached. The die I is adapted to be placed and supported in a holder, which is provided with a slidable plate that serves to support the heel-lifts while a nail is driven through them, it being then retracted to allow the lifts to be ejected from the die.

The details of construction, arrangement, combination, and'operatiou of parts comprising my apparatus are as hereinafter described, reference being had to accompanying drawings, (three sheets,) in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire apparatus, certain parts-to wit, the die-head and the nail-driving and lift-ejecting attachmentbeing, however, shown detached from each other and from the die. Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus, the nail-driving and heel-ejecting device be ing shown in the position it reaches when the lifts have been forced off the awls, forming an attachment of the die-head. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the cutting-dies. Fig. 5 isa bottom plan view of the die-head or anvil attachment for the die. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the head of the nail-driving and lift-ejecting attachment. Fig. 7 is an end View of the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a central vertical transverse section of the apparatus, the section being at right angles to that shown in Fig. 3 and the nail-driving attachment being shown in the position it attains when the nail is driven part way into the heel-lifts. Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing the die and its head or anvil attachment and illustrating the operation of cutting out lifts froin a sheet or piece of leather. Fig. 10 is a sideview of the same parts-to wit, the die and die-head. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of that portion of the apparatus which is secured upon a bed or table, the same illustrating particularly the sliding support for the heel-lifts when a nail is being driven through the lifts. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the lift-ejectors proper.

. Referring in the firstinstance to Fig. 1, X

indicates a stationary horizontal bench or table upon which the stationary portion of my improved apparatus is duly secured. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 8, the said bench or table X is provided with an opening directly below the main frame F of my apparatus.

The chief parts of my apparatus area cutting-die A, a die-head or anvil attachment B, and a nail-driving and lift-ejecting device 0. In Fig. l the parts B and O are shown disassociated or separated from each other and from the die A. The die-head B is, however, employed with the die proper, A, in cutting out lifts, as illustrated in Fig. 9, while Y indicates a leather plate or piece, and Z a series of lifts already cut out and inclosed by the die. As shown best in Fig. 4, the steel die is constructed hollow and with a dulybeveled or sharp cutting edge. In practice the chamber of the die is slightly enlarged from the cutting edge upward, so that the lifts will pass easily up into the same. The die is shown provided with four cut-outs or notches a in its upper edge. These are for the reception of the cruciform base portion or anvil portion of the die-head Bthat is to say, the die-head is provided with four arms I) b projecting at right angles to each other and forming a fixed attachment of the cylindrical vertical portion 1). These arms transmit to the die A the pressure caused by blows of a mallet delivered on the vertical central portion 19. The die A and die-head B are detachably connected when used together by means of spring-catches, whose construction and arrangement are as follows: As shown best in Fig. 3, the catches are T shape, the horizontal and vertical portions working in cavities or recesses in the under side of the smaller arms I) of the die-head. Push-pins b are adapted to slidein bores formed in such arms b and are suitably attached to the vertical portions of the catches b Spiral springs b are arranged behind the vertical portions of the catches, so that the latter are normally held projected, as shown. The catches Z) enter slots a (see Fig. 4) in the die A. In order to detach the die-head B from the die A, the thumb and finger are applied to the pushpins 11 so that the springs b are compressed and the notches pushed inward out of engagement with the slots a of the die, as will be readily understood. By this construction and arrangement of parts the die-head may be very easily and quickly applied to and detached from a die.

To the underside of the die-head proper, B, is applied a series of metal plates 19 (See especially Figs. 3, 5, and 9.) These plates are secured by screws, and their number may be increased or diminished at will as required, according to the thickness the completed heel is to have. Awls or piercing-points b are secured by these plates, as best shown in Fig. 3-that is to say, the said awls have enlarged heads and pass through the outer plate 17 and thus project downward parallel. They may be, however, secured in any other suitable manner, so that they form a rigid attachment of the die-head and are adapted to pierce the lifts Z, and thus serve as pickups for the latter.

I provide the die-head B with a means for indicating the number of lifts, or rather the aggregate thickness of the several lifts, that have been picked up. The same consists of a slidable rod 19 (see Figs. 8 and 9,) which passes down through a vertical bore in the base portion of the die-head B and is provided with a laterally-projecting head which works ina vertical guide-slot b in the vertical portion b of the die-head. A slotted graduated plate 1) is applied. to the pa rt 19 of the diehead. It will be seen that the head or lateral projection of the rod b slides over the graduations on the plate b A spiral spring I) (see Fig. 8) is arranged above the rod 12 so that the latter is held normally pressed downward. It will be apparent that inthe operation of cutting out lifts, as shown in Fig. 9, this rod 5 is pushed upward by the lifts Z as they enter the die, and as the rod is pushed upward the greater will be the number or thickness of the lifts. The graduation on the plate Z7 is such as required to indicate the thickness of the lifts in a particular manner that is to say, for a seveneighths-inch heel the indicator or gage-rod b will point to 7, which would indicate the die was full and the heel completed. The graduations will be one-eighth of an inch and one-sixteenth of an inch, as on an ordinary rule.

It will be understood that when a sufficient number of lifts Z have been cut out and received into the die A the latter, together with the die-head locked thereto, is transmitted to the holder B. This, is a thick plate having a socket exactly conforming to the shape and size of the lower portion of the die A. The said plate D is secured by screws upon the upper side of the horizontal frame F, which, as before indicated, is duly secured upon the bench or table X. In order to support the die in the required position,(see Fig. 1,) the die is provided with lateral lugs or projections A, which rest upon the upper side and edge of the plate D. Having now placed the die A and die-head B in due position, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, 7, and 8, the next operation is to drive a nail through the several lifts, so that they may be secured together before being ejected from the die. The diehead- B is provided with a central vertical bore 1). (See Figs. 1 and 8.) Into this here a nail Zis dropped. The nail-driving device G is then applied. As shown best in Fig. 1, this consists of the following parts,to wit: an anvil or head-block 0, four parallel pendent arms 0', that serve as lift-ejectors,and a central pendent pusher or hammer rod 0 The latter is adapted to enter the bore 5 in the die-head B and to pass through the same. As shown in Fig. 8, this ham mer-rod c has been forced down far enough to drive the nail Z part way through the assembled lifts Z, which are supported upon a plate E, adapted to slide in the frame F, as will-be presently described. In order to thus force the nail into and through the lifts Z, blows are delivered by means of a mallet or hammer upon the thick anvil or III) head 0 of the device 0. For the purpose of turning the point of the nail Z upon the under side of the lifts, so as to duly secure the latter together, I provide the slide E with a steel plate e. (See Figs. 8 and 11.) I likewise provide the said plate E with wooden filling-pieces e, so that the edge of the die A may not be injured by contact therewith.

The lifts having been thus nailed together, the next step is their ejection from the die. This is effected by the four pushers or rods 0'. As will be understood by reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8, these rods 0 are so placed as to pass down on the sides of and in contact with the cylindrical vertical portion of the die-head B and to pass farther down in the angles between the arms I) and b of the die-head and still farther through holes 12 in the metal plates b which are secured to the cruciform base of the die-head. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the pushers c are of such length that when the anvil or head 0 of the ejectors G strikes upon the cylindrical vertical portion b of the die-head B the said pushers project'beyond the bottom of the die-head far enough to completely eject the lifts previously held in the die A. In other words, the lower ends of the pushers c are of such length that they will project nearly to the lower edge of the die A. It is apparent that, following the nail operation before described, the ejector O is simply driven farther down by blows delivered upon the head 0, so that from the position indicated in Figs. 7 and 8 the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 is assumed, or, in other words, the device 0 is forced down to its lowest limit of movement.

It is apparent that in such operation the diehead B serves as a means for guiding and steadying the device 0. In order to break the shock incident to delivering blows upon the head 0 of the device 0, I provide the latter with an elastic or rubber block 0 (see Figs. 3 and 6,) the same being secured by means of screws in the space between the pushers or lift-ejectors proper, c. The latter are preferably secured to the head 0 by screwing them into sockets in the latter. They also pass through holes formed in a metal plate 0 which is suitably secured to the head 0 and is interposed between the head proper and the rubber plate a p The plate E, before referred to, slides in guide grooves or ways f, provided in the opposite sides of the fixed frame F. Springs e 1 (see Figs. 3 and 11) serve to hold the plateE shoved forward in its normal working posi-' tion. (Indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.) The said springs e are formed of two wires bentor coiled upon themselves and secured at one end to the frame F, their free ends projecting upward and working in contact with the outer edge or end of the plate E. For the purpose of retracting the plate E against the tension of the springs e Iemploy a treadle G, (see Fig. 1,) which is connected by a cord 6 with a rear projection of the plate E. The said cord e passes over a pulley e which is arranged upon the rear portion of the frame F. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) It will be seen that in its forward movement the front end of the plate E comes in contact with the head f of the frame F. The said head f is preferably formed of a metal plate, which is screwed to the frame proper, F.

I will now briefly describe the operation of my improved apparatus as a whole. It will be understood that the preparatory step con-' sists in applying glue to the leather plate Y, from which the heel-lifts are to be cut by the die. It is important that the glue shall-be of the best quality and that it be applied to the flesh side of the leather. Where time permits, it is left to dry perfectly on the leather before the latter is cut, and in such case immediately before the cutting operation is begun the grain side of the leather requires to be slightly moistened with water. When time does not permit the glue to dry and the leather is to be out immediately after its application, the glue is to be applied to the grain side of the leather, since the glue does not become hardened and the lifts will adhere without additional moisture. In cold weather the glue will thicken somewhat; but it may be kept warm or a little nitric acid may be added to keep it in a duly fluid condition. The

latter being properly glued, as indicated, the several lifts cut therefrom will ad here to each other with great tenacity, so as to form a practically homogeneous or solid heel without cracks, which frequently occur in handmade heels owing to failure of the workman to properly apply glue thereto. As has been already indicated, the die-head B is first se cured to the die proper, A, by means of the catches or looking devices h The die A is then set upon the leather piece Y, (see Fig. 9,) and blows are delivered upon the anvil b of the die-head, so as to force the cutting edge of the die into and through the leather. The lift thus formed is pierced by the awls or points I), Whose lower ends are on the same level with the edge of the die. The said awls thus pick up the severed lift and hold it within the die. This operation is repeated until as many lifts have been cut and taken up into the die as may be necessary tomake a heel of the desired thickness. It must here be stated that while a single die A has been illustrated and so far described in practice I employ a series of dies owing to the tapered form of a boot or shoe heel. It will be understood that these dies are duplicates of each other in respect to form and differ only in respect to size, and since the lowest lift of a heel is the smallest it is obvious that the first die employed will be the smallest of the series. The second die or the one used after the first one will be slightly larger. The diehead Bis therefore detached from the first die and applied to the second or larger die. It will be understood that this operation is effected by pressing inward the push-bar 5 so that the springs 12 (see Fig. 3) are com-' man continues the operation by applying the die-head B to a third die of larger size than the second die, and so on, using as many different dies as the taper and length of the heel may require. It will be understood that in each case the awls b hold and carry with the die-head B all the lifts that have been cut by the several dies. Thus by nsinglarger dies successively a series of lifts are finally accumulated in the last die, and the workman knows when a sufficient number of lifts or a sufficient thickness of the series of lifts has been cut by observing the indicator b*- that is to say, by observing the height to which the gage-rod b has been forced upward, the distance being indicated by means of the graduations on the slotted plate b The last die used is the one which is to be placed in the holder D, and the preliminary or first position of parts is sufficiently indicated in Figs. 7 and 8-that is to say, the last die A is set into the holder D with the die-head B secured thereto. The nail-drivingand lift-ejecting device 0 is then applied, as indicated, the nail Z having been first dropped through the bore 12 in the die-head. Blows are then applied by means of a mallet to the head 0 of the nail-driving device 0, whereby the elongated nail hammer or rod 0 forces the nail Z through the bore 19 into the pile'of lifts Z. In Fig. 8 the nail, as indicated, is driven part way through. It is apparent that if the device C be forced down far enough to drive the nail Z completely through the lifts the point of the nail will strike upon the steel plate or anvil e, which rests in the center of the sliding plate E, and be thereby turned and clenched, so as to hold the lifts secured firmly together to form practically a solid leather block having the form and size of the required heel.

It is further apparent that when the nailhammer c has thus forced the nail through the lifts the ejectors or pushers c of the device 0 will come in contact with the lifts Z and by forcing said device down to the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 the assembled lifts will be forced out of the die. It will be understood, however, that before this operation can be efiected the plate E must be slid back from beneath the die. For this purpose the operator places his foot upon the treadle G, Fig. 1, and by depressing the same draws the plate E back against the tension of the springs e and into the position indicated in Fig. 3. This leaves the space or opening in the frame F free, so that the lifts ejected from the dies fall through the same and through the coincident opening in the bench or table X into a receptacle. (Not shown.) In brief the depression of the treadle G must occur immediately following the driving of the nail and before the device 0 is forced down to bring the pushers 0 into contact with the lifts. The operator now lifts the empty die and its attached parts B and C out of the holderD and removes his foot from the treadle to allow the slide E to assume its former position ready for the driving of a nail into the next series of lifts that may be out. He then detaches the device 0 from the die-head B and in turn releases the latter from the empty die and reattaches it to the smallest die of the series with which he begins the next lift-cutting operation.

It will be noted that the points of the awls are slightly curved, or bent laterally. This is for the purpose of enabling them to take a firm hold in the lifts, and thus raise them as Well as hold them in the die until forcibly ejected.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the lift-cutting die, of the anvil attachment comprising the radial base portion and a vertical portion risin g centrally therefrom, the two parts engaging at the point of contact so as to prevent lateral or rotary movement one on the other, and devices for locking the two parts together, detachably, while in use, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a lift-cutting die having notches in its upper edge and slots as described, of a detachable die-head or anvil having a cruciform base whose arms are adapted to fit in the said notches, and catches adapted to lock the parts together, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with a lift-cutting die having notches in its upper edge, of a die-head or anvil attachment having a central vertical portion and a cruciform base, which attachment receives the blows of a mallet, and retractable spring-catches adapted to lock the two parts together, the said catches and means for retracting them being arranged in opposite arms of the cruciform base, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, witha lift-cutting die, a holder therefor, and a die head secured thereto and provided with a central bore adapted to receive and guide a nail, of the nail-drivingdevice comprising an elongated hammer or rod adapted to work in said bore, a head constituting the anvil of said device and to which the said rod is rigidly secured, and guides attached to said head and working in connection with the die-head, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with a lift-cutting die, a holder therefor, and a die-head secured to the die, of a nail-driving device comprising a suitable head or anvil, a nail hammer or rod adapted to work in a bore of the die-head, and

ICC

an elastic block applied to the under side of said anvil and adapted to come in contact with the die head when the nail driver is forced down, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination, with a lift-cutting die, and a holder therefor, upon which the die is duly supported, ofa die-head having piercingpoints that serve as pick-ups for the several lifts cut by the die, and also a series of vertical guideways, of a lift-ejecting device comprising a series of pendent bars adapted to work in the said guideways, anda drivinghead or anvil to which the said bars are attached, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with a heel-lift-cutting die, a holder and support therefor, and a support for the lifts arranged below the die, of a die-head having piercing-points adapted to pick up the several lifts out by the die, and having also a series of vertical guideways and a central bore for receiving a nail, by which the lifts are to be secured together, and the nail-driving and lift-ejecting device consisting of an anvil or driving-head, an elongated hammer adapted to work in the bore of the die-head, and force the nail downward, and a series of pendent bars which work in the aforesaid guideways and serving by contact with the lifts to force them ofi the piercing-points immediately following the nail-clenching operation, as shown and described.

8. The combination, with a suitable frame having a sliding plate provided with an anvil on its upper side, and a die-holder arranged above said plate when the latter is in its normal position, a lift-cutting die adapted for support within said holder, a die-head se cured to said die, and provided with vertical guideways, and pendent piercing-points that serve as pick-ups for the lifts cut by the die, and a device for driving and clenching a nail and subsequently ejecting the lifts, which comprises a hammer-rod adapted towork in a guide in the die-head, a series of pendent bars that are also guided in said die-head and serve as ejectors for the lifts, and an anvil or driving-head to which said hammer-rod and bars are attached, as shown and described.

9. The combination with a lift-cutting die and holder therefor,and a lift-ejectingattachment for said die, of a slidahle plate arranged in guideways, and means for holding it in normal position beneath the die as required for supporting the lifts when a nail is being driven, and means for retracting said plate as required when the lifts are to be ejected -from the die, as shown and described.

10. The combination with a frame having an opening vertically therein, and suitable horizontal guideways, a die-holder arranged above said opening, and a die supported in said holder, of a slidahle plate working in said guideways, and a means for holding it normally in position beneath the die, and means for drivinga nail into lifts held in the die, and means for ejecting the lifts subsequent to the nailing operation and the retraction of the said plate, as shown and described.

DENIS M. BECK.

Witnesses M. CASSAT, CHAS. J. BLANK. 

